The standard, figure-hugging M sports seats are plumper than November turkeys but a lot more vegan. The £1,350 glass sunroof lifts the dark cabin, which has a few characterful touches compared with our previous BMW 530e long-termer. There are huge side pods housing the door handle and an air vent with an elaborate slider control, and the big, angled central cubby contains a wireless charging smartphone plinth and two cup-holders.
The X3 range starts at £51,605 for the 20 petrol xLine, with the diesel only £1,135 more. It’s an almost £6k jump to the plug-in 30e xLine, with our M Sport version costing £59,015 – before a lot of options. The aforementioned paint and wheels are £875 and £2,150 respectively, and we’ve got three option packs. M Sport Pro Pack (£2,300) adds the Iconic Glow kidney grille, red brake calipers and the dechromed, high-gloss black exterior finishes. Completing the external mods are a £1,025 tow bar and £450 sun protection glass.
The £1,350 Comfort Plus Pack includes rear window blinds, plus heated seats all round, cooled front perches with lumbar support, and Harman Kardon surround sound. The silky M steering wheel gets £250 heating, and while the £450 woven fabric upholstery looks great, I roll elbows-out van driver-style and it’s like resting your arm on a cheese grater.
